Humanism under attack

In the framework of cooperation of the Bertalanffy Center with the Centre of Social Ontology, one research project was finalised (Social Morphogenesis – the proofs of the 5th volume are currently verified) and a new one was commenced.

During the first week of January, the same group of co-workers at the CSO, International Advisory Committee members and collaborators led by Margaret Archer met in London at the ISRF (Independent Social Research Foundation). A workshop was held under the header „Humanism under attack“. Its aim was to explore and critically discuss human enhancement in the perspective of trans- and post-humanism. The publication of a first edited volume was agreed.

On 6 January 2017, Wolfgang Hofkirchner presented his contribution. The title was „Promethean Shame revisited – An ontological analysis of future imaginaries“. The term „Promethean Shame“ was coined by Austrian philosopher Günther Anders to signify the „climax of dehumanisation“ by the „hubristic self-humiliation“ when humans construct machines that seem to outperform them and thus make them obsolete (my translations – W.H.). The first english translation of Anders’s essay on Promethean Shame is currently in print in the United States.